2015 Fall Rendezvous

Hang on to your steering wheels – we may be in Kansas any minute – no wait, we are on the way to Picton for the fall rendezvous. The wind had me fighting the steering wheel from Parry Sound (where I store my trailer) to our weekend destination, Prince Edward County.

Upon arrival at the Smugglers Cove RV Resort, I checked in with our 2 amazing hosts, Peter and Leslie Borso. Their hospitality went above and beyond! Peter helped park the units as they arrived, leaving the club members free to begin enjoying their stay. It was great to have 30 amp power, water, and sewage hook-ups. I particularly enjoyed the extra warmth from my electric heater the first night, as my furnace was giving me a bit of a hassle. In case you are worried, it was going for the rest of the weekend.

I knew the weekend was off to a good start as Don and Grace Proutt, our faithful greeters, handed us a package of goodies for the area. This package included a lot of information about the local wine tours, of which there are many! It is always so much fun to sit and look at the information, deciding what will be my first adventure of the weekend. I always appreciate how much work has gone into preparing the program and the leg work done in scouting out the area so the rest of the club members can just go out and enjoy themselves! Thanks to all involved in this process!

Thursday night’s hospitality was held in the rec hall. It was a bit chilly, but it was nothing compared to the chilly feet we experienced at the Spring Rally in Dorchester last year! The job jar slots began to fill up, but there were still a few spots left for those arriving on Friday.

Friday was a day for exploring the area. After shopping with Mary, Karen, and Elinor for the weekend groceries, the afternoon was free. Off we went to tour Sandbanks Provincial Park. What a BEAUTIFUL campground. If you have never been there, I highly recommend you go. There are campsites right on the beach, as well as some just across the drive, and more shaded sites inland. Beach time and birding are just two of the activities you will find there.

John Smith inducted three new families, Antone Boonstra & Stacey Clause (children’s names are Ellie Mae and Ian Daniel), Paul Gallagher & Jennifer Baldini, and Dave & Jane Simpson, after the announcements. How exciting to have new members join our club at each rally and rendezvous this year!

A real treat was planned for Friday night! There was a wine testing provided by Half Moon Bay Winery, owned by Brian and Margie Mitchell. Brian gave us a history of their winery, and Margie spoke about the wines presented. Mary Jefferies arranged for us to have 3 large platters of cheese tidbits, provided by the Black River Cheese Factory located in beautiful Milford. Everyone seemed to really enjoy pairing the wine and the cheeses.

Saturday morning – oh what a breakfast we had! Peter Borso, Graham Jefferies and Colin Brittan flipped some of the most delicious pancakes I have ever had! Peter, the owner of Smuggler’s Cove, brought in his GIANT griddle, and away they went. We consumed 5 boxes of pancake mix! Air Streamers must really enjoy peameal bacon as we also consumed 18 pounds of bacon, with some poor hungry members only getting to smell the aroma, not even having a small morsel to taste.

After breakfast, members were free to explore the area. The Lake on the Mountain, H J Conservation Area, which is part of the Quinte Conservation Authority, the ferry at Glenora (which was closed due to high winds. We still drove down to see it, and were treated to a wild, windy experience of white caps roaring over the cement barriers – very exhilarating!), and tours of the Devil’s Wishbone Winery, owned by Paul Gallagher and Jennifer Baldwin, were just a few of the exciting activities for the day.

In the evening, 3 more couples, Ron & Joanne Star, Ron & Ilona Stewart, and Joop & Beatrice Ten-Thye, were inducted. Now let the games begin! We won’t mention which team won both games of Joker, will we Rick? I also recommend you watch out for the “Dirty Joker” player in the club. You know who you are, Graham!

Peter and Leslie Borso ran a 50/50 draw. Barb Aubrey won $102 and Rob Douglas won a free 2 day weekend of camping certificate. Congrats!

Sunday morning we had a lovely continental breakfast, then packed up and headed off. Many of the 36 units present stayed over Sunday night to continue exploring. Peter, the owner, mentioned to us that he had spoken to the weather gods and had tamed the winds that had been whipping my flags all weekend, so with the sun shining, another day in Prince Edward County began.

Many, many thanks to our hosts of this event: Graham & Mary Jefferies, Karen & Colin Brittan, and moi. Special thanks to our club guest, Elinor Mahoney for assisting.

I just have to say, I would gladly return to Smugglers Cove RV Resort for another stay. The hosts are so friendly, and the campground is beautiful!

P S – I just want to let John Gamble know that he didn’t miss the usual rituals at the dump station as we had sewage hook ups!